Plastic binder



Dec. 10, 1940. sPlNNER A2,224,165

PLASTIC BINDER Filed Aug. 12, 1959 Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PLASTIC BINDER Isidore Spinner, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Plastic Binding Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application August l2, 1939, 4Serial No. 289,895

6 Claims.

vThis application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 242,962, filed November 21, 1938.

This invention relates to binders, particularly binders of the type such as shown in the above referred to application, or as shown in the patent to Douvry, No. 1,970,285. Binders of the above type comprise, in general, a comb-shaped structure of Celluloid, pyroxylin, or other thermoo plastic material, the teeth of which are curled and passed through aligned perforations in a stack of pages of a book, cards, or the like, as

disclosed in the above referred to Douvry patent.

The material for forming the binders is rst stamped, or cut, to form a comb comprising a continuous back portion from which extend a plurality of parallel fingers. The material is such that it becomes plastic when heated so that it may be formed to the desired shape. This shape is retained when the material cools.

When the teeth of the comb are inserted through the aligned perforations in the stack of pages to be bound the back of the comb-like structure`constitutes the means for holding the teeth together. Where the back is of considerable width it may interfere with the turning of the pages through an arc of 360, as may sometimes be desired. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a binder of the above mentioned character wherein the back is so constructed as to avoid interference with such complete turning of the pages, as far as possible. This is accomplished, in one embodiment ,of the present invention, by turning or bending the back out ofthe circular or tubular position, into a position extending substantially radially of the binder. The back may extend inwardly of the binder or it may project radially outwardly of the binder. The ends of the teeth of the curled 0 comb may lie on the outside of the tubular binder when the back projects radially inwardly or, if desired, the back may be provided with slots through which the curled ends of the teeth extend so that the ends lie within the binder. If the back of the binder is bent to extend radially outwardly of the binder then the ends of the teeth may extend within the curled comb or, if the back is provided with slots, the ends of the teeth may be on the outside of the curled comb. 0 The binder which is the subject of this application comprises a precurled article of manufacture having suiicient elasticity so that it may be uncurled, to receive a stack of pages having aligned perforations, and will recurl under` its own elasticity to resume the tubular form. The

teeth of the binder extend through an angle exceeding 360 and in the preferred embodiment the free end of each tooth exerts a resilient pressure against the portion of the loop overlapped by the free end of the tooth. The portion at the 5 end of each tooth which presses against the adjacentpart of the loop may be coated with a cementitious material to cement the end of the tooth to the overlapped part of the loop. Since the overlapped part ofthe tooth normally exerts 1 pressure against the adjacent part of the loop this pressure holds the overlapped parts in contact during the setting of the cementitious material. The cementitious material may comprise an acetate or acetone which acts upon the pyroxylin 1 to adhere the two parts together.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan View of an uncurled comb and an arbor for curling the same;

Figure 2 is a view taken at right angles to Figure 1 Figure 3 is an end view of the comb curled around the arbor;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the position of the comb in an uncurling machine preparatory to the insertion of a stack of pages thereinto;

Figure 5 is .a view similar to Figure 4 and illustrating the teeth of the comb in their uncurled position;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through' the `binder and stack of pages bound thereby, said view being taken along the line 5 6 of Figure 7;

Figure 7,is a fragmentary perspective view of a stack of pages bound by the binder of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a View similar to Figure 6 and showing the pages of the book in an alternate position;

Figure 9 is a'fragmentary. plan view of a comb of an alternate construction;

Figure 10 is a view corresponding to Figure 7 and showing a bound stack of books held in place by the binder made from the comb oi Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a view showing an alternate construction with the binder back. bent radially outwardly; and

Figure 12 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to Figure 'Z and showing still another type of binder with the pages inserted in place. 5

Reference may now be had more particularly to' the construction illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The blank I is formed of Celluloid, pyroxylin, or other resilient material which, when heated, becomes plastic and can be formed to the desired shape and retains its thus formed shape upon cooling. Before being curled the blank is in the shape of a comb having a cnntinuous back portion 2 and a plurality of parallel teeth or fingers 3. The ngers are comparatively wide, and spaced apart a distance equal to the width of a finger, as may be seen from Figure 1.. The outer ends 4 of the fingers are curved, as indicated at 4, as are also the spaces between adjacent teeth of the comb. After the comb has been curled while hot, the binder takes on a cylindrical form upon cooling, each finger being curled convolutely upon itself. The binder is of a material which, although plastic when heated, has sufficient elasticity or resiliency at room temperature so that the lingers may be uncurled to the iiat position or .at least suiiiciently to allow insertion of a stack of pages to be bound, and upon being released resume the curled shape imparted thereto.v A stack of paper, cards, or the like, with aligned perforations, may therefore be positioned so that when the fingers 3 recurl under their natural resiliency they pass through the perforations and thus bind the sheets together.

A metal arbor for use in curling the comb of Figure 1 toits requisite shape is shown at-B. 'I'he arbor is of almost but not quite a cylindrical shape. It has a narrow slot 8 extending longitudinally thereof for its full length. The arbor deviates from a true cylinder to the extent that the edge 9 on one side of the slot 8 is closer to the center than is the edge I0 at the other, by an amount approximately equal to the thickness of the comb 2. To curl the comb 2 to the requisite shape the end of the comb is inserted in the slot 8 either before or after heating of the comb, the comb being heated to a temperature which may be of the order of 200 F. to 365 F., depending upon the thickness and quality of the material used. At that temperature the material becomes quite plastic. I It is, however, to be understood that substantially lower temperatures may be used and in some instances are preferable, depending upon the quality and thickness of the material. After the comb 2 has been heated to its requisite temperature. the arbor is rolled on a flat supporting surface which is preferably hot to avoid sudden chilling ofthe material, until the comb assumes theiposition illustrated in Figure 3. While in this position the arbor with the comb thereon is rolled over a much coolersurface to cool the comb. It may then be removed from the arbor by -sliding the same lengthwise of the arbor. The slot 8 in the arbor is of a depth substantially equal to the width of the back 2 of the combv so that the vof the slot 8. If desired, the back 2 may be made of greater width than the depth of the slot 8, so that a narrow portion of the back extends lengthwise of the curled comb but along the circular part thereof. that is, at substantially right angles to the radially bent portion of the back. This imparts greater stiffness to the binder. The forward end of each tooth overlaps the portion of the tooth adjacent the back at I3,

as may'be seen from Figure 3, and exerts a spring pressure against the part I3 overlapped by the .end of the' tooth. The material is of suiiicient elasticity, after removal from the arbor 6, that the curled binder may be uncurled to an almost flat position and upon release of the same will resume the shape shown in Figure 3.

In Figures Ai and 5 I-have shown, diagrammatically. the manner in which the curled binder may be uncurled for receiving a stack of pages having aligned perforations through which the teeth 3 of the binder may pass upon release of the uncurled fingers. Apparatus for performing this assembling operation is disclosed more fully in the patent to Christian B. Nelson and Isidore Spinner, No. 2,108,136, issued February 15, 1938, towhich reference may be had. Briefly, the machine comprises a base having a .series of aligned pins II secured thereto and spaced apart equal to the spacing between the fingers 3 of the comb. The curled comb is adapted to be placed on the base so that the pins II pass between adjacent rings of curled ngers 3, with the back 2 bearing against the pins II and preventing movement of the binder as a unit in a direction to the left as seen in Figure 4. A wire I2is then inserted lengthwise through the curled ngers so that it passes through all of them. The wire I2 is then pulled as a unit in a. direction away from the pins II, the wire being maintained parallel to the alignment of the pins. 'Ihis movement of the wire causes the curled ngers to uncurl, as indicated in Figure 5, the back v2 of the binder holding the binder against movement to the left. After the binder has been uncurled to the position indicated in Figure 5 a stack of pages I5 having aligned perforations I4 of a width surlicient to 'receive the fingers 3 between them and of a spacing corresponding to the spacing between fingers is held in the position' illustrated in Figure 5. Thereafter the wire I2 is permitted to move to the right from the position illustrated in Figure 5 back toward th position illustrated in Figure 4. This permits the ngers 3 to recurl under their natural resiliency.

and, as they recurl, they pass through the perforations I4 thus producing the bound arrangethe ngers recurl and pass through the perfora-' tions they bear and exertv a spring pressure against the part I3 of the binder. 'I'hls retains a rm contact-ofthe parts being cemented together, during the setting of the cement I3.

In Figures 6, 7 and 8 I have shown a stack of pages I5 bound by the binder formed in the above mentioned manner. The back V2, which is turned radially inwardly, points directly towards the center of the binding. As a result of this construction it is possible to turn the, pages back to back from the position illustrated in Figure 7 to the position illustrated in Figure 8.`

The uppermost page I8 of Figure 7 and the lowermost page I'l are then back to back. The back portion 2 of the comb now lies between the pages I8 and II on the inside of the binder, and the book covers I8 and I9 are on the outside of the stack of pages, as is illustrated in Figure 8.

In Figure9 I illustrate a comb for making a binder such as is shown in Figure 10. This comb is similar to that of Figure 1 and is made of the same materials. The essential difference lies in the provision of slots 20 in the back 2 adjacent the place where the teeth project from the back. When the comb illustrated in Figure 9 is curled, the individual teeth are in the position illustrated in Figure 7, namely, with the ends of the teeth overlying the outside of the back portion. When the teeth are flexed back and are inserted into a stack of pages of a. book and then permitted to recurl, the teeth are guided so that the end of each tooth enters the corresponding slot 20 associated with that tooth. To facilitate the movement of the tooth into the slot the edge of the tooth is of somewhat lesser width than the rest of the tooth, as indicated at 22. The teeth in the curled binder thus lie on the inside of the binder.

When a blank for forming the binder of Figure` 10 is curled it is curled in such a manner that the overlapping or free end' of each tooth does not exert a spring pressure on the underlying part of the loop. Thereafter, when the tooth is recurled and passed through the slots 20, it has been' forced radially inwardly and therefore exerts a spring pressure in a direction radially outwardly againstthe adjacent part 23 of theloop. A dab ofcementitious material such as was previously described is placed on the outside of each tooth or finger 3 near the end of the finger, so that it cements the edge of the finger to the adjacent part 23 of the loop which is overlapped by the end of the finger. The spring pressure exerted by the end of the finger against the adjacent portion 23 of the loop serves to hold the end, of the finger in Vplace while the cement is setting.

In Figure 11 I have illustrated still another embodiment of the present invention formed of a comb I such as is illustrated inFigures 1 or 9. In this figure the back portion 25 is folded radially outwardly of the binder rather than radially inwardly. The back 25, which corresponds to the back 2 of the binders previously described, thus projects between the pages of the book preferably, although not necessarily, at the center of the stack of pages. To manufacture the binder of FigureA 11 the teeth of the comb may be curled without bending the back, the teeth being curled on the inside rather than on the outside of the back portion 25. Thereafter the back portion 25 may be bent back to the position illustrated in `Figure 9 so that the back 25 extends along a radius of the binder but radially outwardly. The end of each finger 3 exerts a spring pressure against the portion 23 overlapped thereby, as in Figure 10, and is cemented in place by a dab `of cementitious material 24 the same as in Figof the present invention formed from the comb I of Figure 1. In this embodiment the back is not bent at all. It is merely curled along the same radius as are the teeth, in the manner of the Douvry patent above referred to, except that the edges of the respective teeth barely overlap the edge of the back." After the teeth have been inserted in a stack of pages to bind the pages the individual teeth are cemented or otherwise secured to the back 2, as by a layer of cement 3U between each tooth and the back. If a machine such as is shown in the patent to Nelson et al., No. 2,108,136, is used for insertion of the binder into the stack of pages, al1 of the teeth are drawn back by the machine and then allowed to recurl through the stack of pages. Thereafter the surface at the edge of each tooth, or the adjacent surface of the back, may be coated with a cementitious material and the individual teeth pressed into engagement with the back. In the manufactured plastic binder the teeth overlap the outside of the back exerting very little or no pressure against the back. When the teeth are uncurled and permitted to recurl to pass through the perforations of a stack of pages the teeth are forced radially inwardly so that the ends of the teeth overlap the inside of the back 2, rather than the outside. Since the teeth have been flexed radially inwardly they exert a spring pressure radially outwardly against the back during the setting of the cement.

It isto be noted that the structure illustrated in Figure 12 differs from that of Figure 11 primarily in that the back 2 of Figure 12, which corresponds to the back 25 of Figure 11, extends along the outside of the loop on the same radius of curvature as the rest of the comb instead of being .bent inwardly as at 25 in Figure 11. In a similar manner the bending' of the back 2 of the structure of Figure 7 can be omitted so `that the`back 2 of the structure of Figure 7 instead of being bent radially inwardly, lies on the inside of the loop of the binder and along an arc of the same curvature as the rest of' the curved binder. The overlap of the free ends of the teeth 3 may be less than the width of the back, or may exceed the width of the back 2.

The free ends of the teeth may be adhesively secured in place, in each of the embodiments heretofore described, by a method somewhat differently than outlined above. After' the binder has been inserted through the aligned perforations in a stack of pages to bind the pages together, as heretofore explained, the binder may be held horizontally downward` and dipped halfway into a tray containing a suitable adhesive solution. The solution coats theends of the teeth and adjacent parts of the binder, and after removal of the binder from the solution there is enough adhesive material of the solution coating the ends of the teeth and the adjacent parts of the binder to cause them to adhere together upon setting of the adhesive. During setting of the adhesive the spring pressure of the ends of the teeth against the part of the binder overlapped by the teeth maintains the teeth in position. A suitable adhering solution into which combs of pyroxylin may be dipped for this purpose is an acetone solution. It is, however, to be understood that any adherent capable of cementing or securing the ends of the teeth to the adjacent parts of the comb may be used.

Another and alternate way of securing the teeth to the back in each of the embodiments illustrated is by inserting a rod into the comb after the comb has been inserted into a stack of pages and then pressing the back and the short overlapping portions of the respective teeth into firm engagement by means of that rod and an externally applied heated tool so that the heat of the tool produces sufficient softening of the overlapped materials to cause them to adhere.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described a few preferred embodiments of my invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction here shown, the same being merely illustrative lcomb of plastic resilient material to form loops with the free ends of the teeth overlapping the loops on the outside thereof, opening said loops by flexing the teeth out of their normal positions but within the elastic limitsof the material so that upon release of the teeth they recurl under their own resiliency, placing a stack of sheets with aligned perforations in a position to receive the teeth upon recurling, permitting the teeth to recurl and pass through the perforations, during the recurling operation forcing the teeth inwardly of the loops so that upon recurling they pass into the inside -of the loop of the curled comb and press against the portion of the loop overlapped thereby, and adhering the ends of the teeth to the portion of the loop overlapped therebyso that the vpressure of the ends of the teeth against the adjacent part of the loops holds the teeth in position while the adhesive is setting.

2. A binderfor va stack of sheets provided with aligned perforations along one of their edges,

said binder being of plastic elastic material preformed to substantially the ultimate shape it is to have after ,complete insertion into the stack and including a back and a plurality of teeth integral with the back and extending from one longitudinal edge thereof, said teeth being curved to rconstitute a plurality of loops adapted to be iiexed, within their elastic limit, out of their normal shape for receiving the sheets between them and automatically recurled under their own resiliency to pass through the aligned perforations,

each loop extending through an arc greater than 360, the free end of each tooth extending beyond the back and in contact with the adjacent part of the loop along substantially the same curvature as the rest of the tooth, and the :free end of each tooth-exerting a. spring pressuie against the portion of the loop overlapped thereby and adhesively secured thereto.

3. A binder for a stack of sheets provided with aligned perforatonsalong one of their edges, said binder being of plastic elastic material and includinga back and a plurality of teeth integral with the back and extending Afrom one longitudinal edge thereof, said teeth being curved to constitute a plurality of loopsfpassed through the aligned perforations to bind the sheets, the free end of each tooth overlapping the loop adjacent the back and curved along the same curvature as the rest of the tooth.- the backV of the binder projecting from the periphery of the loop, and the free ends ofthe teeth exerting a spring pressure against and' ybeing adhered to the portion of the loop overlapped thereby.

4. The method of binding a steek of sheets having registering perforations along one of their edges which comprises curling a piece of plastic resilientmaterial to form a loop with the ends of the loop overlapping, opening the loop and bringing the loop and the sheets intotrelative positions such that upon release of theopening force an end of the loop passes throughthe perforations in the sheets and assumes such a position that the ends overlap and exert a spring pressure against one another, and then [adhering the overlapped parts of the loop. l

5. A` binder for insertioninto astack of sheets provided with aligned perforations along one of their edges, said binder beingof lplastic elastic material preformed to substantially ,the ultimate shape it is to have after'complete insertion into the stack and including aback and a plurality of teeth integral with the .back and extending from one longitudinal edge thereof, said teeth being curved to constitute a plurality of loops adapted to be flexed, within their elastic limit, out of their normal shape 'for receiving the sheets between them and automaticallyrecurled under their own resiliency to, pass through the aligned perforations, each tooth forming a. loop extending through an arc greater than.360, the back projecting inwardly of the loop so 'as to lie in a plane substantially parallel tothe plane of an adjacent sheet, the lfree end of veach tooth extending beyond the back and in contact with the adjacent part of the loop formed by the tooth along substantially the same curvature as the rest of the tooth, and the free, end of each tooth exerting a spring pressure against rthe portion cf the loop overlapped thereby and adhesively secured thereto.

6. A binder for insertion int'oa stack of sheets provided with aligned perforations along one of their edges, said binder being of plastic elastic material preformed to substantially the ultimate shape it is to have after complete insertion into the stack and including a back and a plurality of teeth integral with the back and extending from one longitudinal edge thereof, said teeth being curved to constitute a plurality of loops adapted to be exed, within' their elastic limit,a

out of their normal shape for receivingthe sheets between them and automatically recurled under their own resiliency to pass through the aligned perforations, each tooth'forming al loop extending through an arc greater th'an,360, the back projecting outwardly of the loop so as to lie in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of an adjacent sheet, the free end of each tooth extending beyond the back and in contact with the adjacent part of the loop formed by the tooth along substantially the same curvature as the rest of the tooth, and the free end of each tooth exerting a spring pressure against the portion v of the loop overlapped thereby' and adhesively secured thereto.

ISIDORlI SPINN'ER. 

